A shining example of what can be achieved in education

School principal Ronal Fortune said, "I am extremely happy and very proud of our results this year.

"At which other school would teachers agree to sacrifice their time and spend nights with learners to help them prepare for their exams?" she asked.

Sixty-two percent of matrics from the school received a university entry pass; that's up from 52% in 2013.

Fortune said the idea to host the camp was born after social workers visited matrics at home and found that almost half of the class had no desks and chairs to sit at. Fortune said the school then hired a nearby farmhouse and converted the stables into dormitories for the girls, while the boys were accommodated in the school hall. The camp would ensure that pupils would be well prepared for their exams.

"The stresses of being in matric is huge for everyone, but for children from disadvantaged communities, the pressure is even bigger. They don't have proper study facilities at home and their communities are not always supportive. Some of them have to overcome so many obstacles just to write their exam," said Fortune.

A case in point

Top of Christel House South Africa, Andisiwe Sandlana, 18, is a case in point. She prepared for her exam in a small three-roomed house, which she shares with her parents, sister and eight other family members in Langa on the outskirts of Cape Town.

But Sandlana's hard work paid off when she received a distinction in business studies, as well as a bachelor's pass, which secures her entry to the University of the Western Cape where she will study towards a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) this year.

"I want to show others who are in a similar position to me that you can make it. If you work hard, you can do it," Sandlana said.

She credited her teachers for helping her focus on her studies and helping her to apply herself to achieve her goals.

The schools holistic approach to education sets it apart from other schools. Christel House is a school for children from disadvantaged backgrounds and aims to break the cycle of poverty by providing children with free, quality education in a stable environment. The school relies on donor funding to provide teaching, transport, uniforms and meals, as well as social worker support to monitor children at home.

Since its establishment 13 years ago, Christel House has secured university and college entry, as well as work training programmes and internships for almost all matric pupils.

Christel House South Africa CEO Nicky Sheridan says that the school is a shining example of what can be achieved in education in South Africa. "But teachers, learners and schools need the support of corporations and big business so that we can continue to provide this kind of quality education. In this way we can make a real difference in the lives of children from disadvantaged backgrounds, help to train and upskill our young people and the communities they come from," he said.